Spring KickstandA kickstand that improves the usability of tandem bicycles for Envision Unlimited, a Chicago-based nonprofit serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
A team of first-year engineering students in the Design Thinking and Communication (DTC) course created a kickstand prototype for Envision Unlimited, a Chicago-based nonprofit serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The project tasked the students with improving the usability of tandem bikes in Envision Unlimited's adaptive cycling program.
Problem
Envision Unlimited's adaptive cycling program provides its participants regular opportunities to interact with the community, build relationships, explore, and heighten independence. However, the organization's fleet of 30 tandem bikes suffered from an issue with the kickstands, which were prone to failure and user error. This created challenges for the riders and reduced the enjoyment of the cycling experience.
Solution
The DTC student team drew inspiration from motorcycle kickstands, which are more robust than traditional bicycle kickstands. They investigated different attachment mechanisms, modifications, and placement to arrive at a solution that maintained structural integrity while avoiding interference with the riders. The new kickstand design was created to be more intuitive and easy-to-use, benefiting both the riders and the Envision Unlimited program.